Chabies a



Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES CHARLES A. srEARs, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

DEPTH REGnLAfii-oit roascnnrrne AND siTaFAcrnG MACHINES.

Application filed. November My invention is an improved depth regulaterfor scraping and surfacing machines.

The object of my invention is to provide an adjust-able shoe or bearingmember adj acent the scraper buckets, whereby the depth of cut of saidbuckets may be determined. The adjustable shoe may be in the form of askid or roller or tractor belt. The shoe is positioned relative tothescraper buckets so that it may be shifted rearwardly and if in theform of a skid or tractor belt will become inclined, that is, tilted upat the rearward end. This throws more weight on the forward end of theshoe and causes it to sink further into soft material to allow thescraper buckets to dig to a greater depth. Where a roller, or wheel isused to support the scraper, the wheel itself is shifted rearwardly andelevated so that the cutting buckets are lowered to make a deeper out.

Other objects and advantages will be more specifically pointed out anddescribed in the following detailed description.

In the annexed drawing in which my invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of my regulator mounted on ascraper.

Figure 2. is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form ofregulator.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of a still further modifiedform of regulator.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the scraper buckets 1 aremounted on a conveyor 2, which is journaled in a frame 8, and suitablydriven from a source of power (not shown, since this construction of theScraper is well known). The conveyor and frame are mounted on apropelling machine such as a tractor, the frame of which is shown at 4.The frame 3 is pivoted at 5 to the support 6 secured to the frame 4.Ahorizontalscraper blade 7 is mounted on the end of the frame 3. A shoe8 extends transversely of the machine, and is mounted rearwardly of theblade 7, and bears upon the ground,

a, 1924. Serial no. waste,

thus limiting the depth to which the blade will go, and preventingitfrom making an irregular cut. i

The shoe 8 is mounted at its forward end on arms 9, which are pivoted tothe horizon tal members 10 of the frame? At the rear end the shoe ismounted on a link 11 pivoted thereto, and to the lower end of a handlever 12. This hand lever is pivoted to thefr'ame 4L, and is held inposition by a hand operated dog '13 extending into notches in a quadrant14. V

hen it is desired to makeqa deeper cut the handle 12 is moved forwardly,which swings the rear end of the sh'oe Supwardly, and tilts it at anangle as shown in dotted lines in the drawing. Thescra per willnow rideon the forward rounded nose '15 of the shoe 8 and cut into the ground.When the desired depth is reached the shoe is again returned. toahorizontal planeand the scraping continued.

WVhen the handle 12 is moved rearwardly, the lower end thereof engagesthe rear end of the member 10 and swings the frame 3 upwardly about thepivot 5 into non-operative position.

If desired the depth regulator instead of being a shoe as shown at 8 maybea wheel 16 mounted on a bar 17 secured to the arm 9 and pivoted to thelink 11. The wheel may be regulated the same as the shoe 8.as previouslydescribed. V

As shown in Fig. 3 a tractor belt 18 may be utilized which is positionedbetween the arm 9 and link 11.

The action of both the wheel 16 and belt 18 is identical to the shoe 8.

It Will be noted on reference to Figure 1 that when the shoe or skid 8is tilted that although the front portion or nose 15 is not elevated toa great extent, yet more weight is thrown on the rounded nose and on theforward part of the skid so that it will sink deeper into the ground,thus allowing the buckets to cut deeper.

The endless belt 18 functions in substantially the same way whereas witha wheel as shown in Figure 2, as this is positioned substantially midwaybetween the arms 9 and the links 11, it will be raised considerablyabove its former position and thereby cause a deeper cutting action.

It will be noted that the frame 4t is substantially stationary with theframe 3 pivotally connected thereto by the pivot 5 and as the shoe 8 isrigidly connected to the arm 9 and the latter is pivotally connected tothe frame 3, the raising of the rear end of the shoe 8 by the link 11and the arm 12, which latter is pivoted to the stationary frame 4:, willtilt the shoe and therefore change the inclination of the frame 3, andhence the scraper buckets in reference to the stationary frame 4.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a surfacing machine having forwardly extendingbucket excavators, a frame extending rearwardly therefrom, a shoeadapted to rest on the ground'and having the forward end pivotallyconnected to the frame, and having its rear end connected to said frameby a handle pivoted thereto, and a link pivoted to the end of the handleand to the end of the shoe whereby the shoe may be tilted in referenceto the frame of the excavator.

2. The combination with a surfacing machine comprising a stationaryframe, a sec- 0nd frame pivoted thereto, a series of conveyor andexcavator buckets operatively mounted-on the second frame, a shoepivotally connected at its forward end tothe second frame adjacent thelower end of the bucket conveyor and having its rear end operativelyconnected to the first mentioned stationary frame whereby the shoe maybe tilted in reference to the second frame and thereby cause a tiltingof the second frame in relation to the first mentioned stationary frame.

3. The combination with a surfacing machine comprising a frame, a bucketconveyor, a propelling mechanism, said frame be ing pivotally mounted onthe propelling mechanism, of a shoe mounted adjacent the lower end ofsaid conveyor and adapted to rest on the ground, an arm secured to saidshoe and pivoted to said frame, a hand lever, a link pivoted to saidhand lever and said shoe, said hand lever being adapted to engage saidframe to swing it into non-operative position.

4;. The combination with a surfacing machine having a stationary frame,an excavator frame pivotally mounted thereon, a series of bucketexcavators operatively mounted on the second frame, an arm pivotallyconnected to one of the lower members of the second frame, a shoerigidly connected to the lower end of said arm, a handle pivotallyconnected to the stationary frame and links connected from said handleto the rearward end of said shoe whereby said shoe may be tiltedrelative to the stationary frame and thereby tilt the excavator framerelative to the stationary. frame.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

CHARLES A. SPEARS.

